I'm a little behind the 8-Ball - so don't hate me. Issue 2 of the ah-mazing C.O.P. Slagazine is out now. It's freaking awesome so get your grubby mitts on a FREE copy, available from:

SA

Cold Krush

109 Unley Rd, UNLEY SA 5061

VIC

Per Square Metre Gallery

191-193 Johnston St, COLLINGWOOD VIC 3066

This Is It

396 Church St, RICHMOND VIC 3121

QLD

Rehab Records

Shop 1, 24 Station Rd, INDOOROOPILLY QLD 4068

Emergency Room

80 Howard St, Nambour QLD 4560

NSW

567 King

567 King St, NEWTOWN NSW 2042

Soul Clap Records

4/99 Devonshire St, SURRY HILLS NSW 2010

Nurcha Crew Store

12A Coronation St, HORNSBY NSW 2077

I'm super stoked with my shoot from ish #2 (sneak peak above - grab yourself a copy of the mag to see the rest) - MC Sky High and MC Nikkita look HOT. Thanks to Emz, Rose, Bella Deux, Lola & Bailey, Well Dressed Vandals, Sarah and all the crew involved in making it such a great night, with a great result.

Thanks to Eriks and Ivey for including me in the dopest magazizzle around. The mag looks hot and I can't wait to get cranking on the next issue. Here's to 2010!

Friday, December 18, 2009

I feel a little guilty because I've been so slack - but seriously, I haven't even got time to scratch my ass, let alone wipe it. And on that note, I figure I may as well give myself a well earned getaway-from-Ghetto until after the festy season is done and dusted (but before New Years so I can rattle off my thoughts about the year that was, and of course, my New Years resolutions).

2010 marks the start of some massive changes for me (and I don't mean the change-of-life type changes or the I'm-going-to-be-the-2nd-pregnant-man type changes). I've got a big move to make, side projects in the pipeline, and some kick-ass news to announce - including a Monster House style reno for the Ghetto in the New Year - plus a bunch of other stuff, so stay tuned...

And because I'm working like a Trojan in consumer-hell this Christmas, I'm going to wish you all the very best now and save myself the hassle later.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Things are pretty hectic at the moment. Between living out all my childhood Christmas wishes as the voice of a magical tree, hunting random images with a great bunch of people and trying to organise myself to move south of the border in January, I've been neglecting the Ghetto.

The crazy academic-types at Swinburne University have obviously lost the plot because they've let me enroll for 2010. I'll be studying something I'm completely passionate about - interior design. For the uninitiated, Pretty Ghetto actually started out as my personal interior styling blog (which was preceded by Ulterior Interior). It took me ages to think of the name Pretty Ghetto, which came about because I consider my home to be my very own pretty little ghetto. Plus it has a double meaning, and it's an oxymoron. I'm smart-like.

"Where's Swinburne?" I hear you ask. Well folks, it's in Burn City baby - sweet, sweet Melbourne. And I'm not doing it via distance edu-ma-cation. I'm moving to the 'Burn in January. I've already got me a pretty pad with some pretty ladies - So I'm almost ready. But is the Burn ready for me?

I had to visit Burn City on Wednesday to enroll. Very exciting and I came away with a fabulous result - I got enough credit so I will only need to complete 2 out of the 3 years required for the degree. WIN. Not only that, I got to visit my swanky new home, meet (one of) my lovely new housemates, hang out with Bundy and cruise around Fitzroy - even if it was 39 degrees.

On our little adventure we visited Brunswick Street, where I can across these repulsive-yet-somewhat-enchanting Jordan VII Retro Pearl White/Bright Ceramic-Pacific Blue rip-off high heels.Disturbed, yet undeniably attracted, I tried these trainwrecks on, much to Bundy's amusement. The workmanship was ghastly. The quality was low. They didn't come with a box, but they did come with a second pair of laces. The price, at $180, was ridiculous. An original pair of Jordan VII Retro Pearl White/Bright Ceramic-Pacific Blue look like this:To make matters worse, they had about 12 other colours and styles, like these:I'm not sure whether I'm thrilled or appalled. I think I'm tending towards the latter. Quite a cunning fake if you ask me, and quite funny to us at the time. Even if the shop assistant didn't really see the funny side...

I know all y'all office-types are trying to bludge as much as you can in these last few days of work before Christmas. Internet usage has no doubt gone through the roof - so while you bludge off your employer - I mean work - make sure you check out the 100 Pieces in 100 Days Project featuring Danish graffiti artist Swet and supported by Molotow.Each day in December, Swet will paint a piece using Molotow Premium 400ml Swet100 Traffic Red in order to set a new record. Swet says, "For me, it’s a challenge to see if I can find the time to paint even more without neglecting work or my family. And of course see what I can do with my style when all the pieces have to be different and with only one fill in colour to work with…”.

Even snow isn't stopping this man. You gotta wonder if my the end of December he'll ever be able to paint using red again. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing what he throws up on Christmas day...

Friday, December 4, 2009

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Like most kids my age, I was an avid afternoon TV watcher in the early 90s. The Afternoon Show hosted by James Valentine (and later Michael Tunn) introduced me and everyone else I knew to shows like Mysterious Cities of Gold and Degrassi Junior High. Although the ABC seriously had afternoon kids TV won hands down, some of the other free to air channels had a few winners, my favourites being the game show Double Dare and the California dream sitcom, Saved by the Bell.Saved by the Bell was no where near as awesome as Degrassi, but looking back, it was pretty awesome in the fashion stakes. Especially Kelly Kapowski.Kelly (played by Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) had all the right moves. Giant teased hair that everyone tried to emulate, acid wash denim, crop tops, scrunchies, that all American girl-next-door smile and a body built for sin. Plus Zack used to follow her around like a sick little puppy. She was the girl I loved to hate.

I recently read someone quite accurately describe Kelly as the Kate Moss of the Aaron Spelling TV dynasty (although squeaky clean Coca-Cola Kelly probably never quite reached the same 'heights' as Coccaine Kate). Kelly Kapowski was the IT girl that paved the way for the Brenda Walshs and Kelly Taylors (and eventually Thiessen herself made it onto 90210 herself anyway). What made Kelly Kapowski so damn special? Her sweet-as-apple-pie smile that hid that hid the mean girl underneath, juvenille charm and a banging wardrobe. Here's the 411, from my point of view:Without a doubt, Kelly's most defining feature has to be her teased and over-moussed hair. Well before straighteners and hair extensions became le mode du jour, teased hair reigned supreme. I vividly remember girls in year 7 trying as hard as they could to get their fringes into the biggest, highest wave-like formations - particularly on school photo day. I think Kelly Kapowski has a lot to answer for...Acid wash denim (especially the kind with OTT accents and features like Bedazzler or tassles) was a staple of Kelly's signature California girl look. Jeans, skirts, jackets, shorts.

I remember a particular pair of baggy, high-waisted shorts I absolutely coverted around 1989. They had crazy folded over detail at the waist and huge folded up cuffs that ended about 3cm above the knee. They covered a lot of area by todays standard (I heard the denim short-shorts getting rocked on almost every chick at the Stereosonic festival last weekend could have doubled as lingerie).Kelly Kapowski had a banging body that all us girls envied. It's no wonder she rocked so many crop tops. And just like Kelly, I've worn my fair share of crop tops. Hard to believe considering these days I would prefer to eat glass than bare my midriff. But once upon a time, when I was young (and still had a boy-like, pre-pubescent body) I busted out my belly button all the time. A particular favourite of my was a royal blue crop t shirt I wore under my Cross Colours overalls. Did I just admit that?By about year 8, most girls in my year were rocking slouch socks with pretty much everything from tracksuit pants (over the top, of course) with sneakers to skirts and Rollers (remember those shoes? Eek). I remember wearing slouch socks for my year 8 school photo. I wore them with a pair of Reebok low cut sneaks and a big scrunchie in my hair. Hot shit. I think Kelly Kapowski's stylist got that idea from LA Gear.I can't remember (or find evidence) if Kelly actually wore LA Gears on Saved by the Bell, but I'd like to imagine she did. She's the perfect LA Gear poster girl. Well, almost. She'd have been a better poster girl if she was blonde - but then, she wouldn't have been Kelly, would she? I always had LA Gear envy. All those lucky little shits at school who managed to get their greedy little paws on kicks they didn't really appreciate (bitter much?). I like to think Kelly was one of those little shits.This story just wouldn't be complete without a mentioning Scrunchies. Saved by the Bell just wouldn't have been the same without them.

In all honestly, I remember Scrunchies as being less of a serious fashion statement and more of a necessity. That was, until I started doing physical culture and had to match my hair accessories with my leotards. Scrunchies were great for tying my hair back as a kid because unlike regular hair elastics, they're much less likely to rip your hair out at the root if your hair gets tangled around a Scrunchie.

Put this all together, along with a few extras like t shirt sleeves rolled up, floral dresses and high waisted shorts and you've got one hell of a look for summer 2010!